NEWARK, N.J.​​ — When Becca Taylor made the overnight drive from Tampa to New Jersey Sunday night, the trip had deeper purpose than just attending the Lightning-Devils playoff series.

Taylor, 43, got in her silver Chevy Malibu rental at 10 p.m., and drove straight through, only stopping for gas. Listening to the Golden Knights-Kings games on iHeartRadio helped keep her awake in a 16-hour trek. Her only companion, in its own drawstring bag, was a personalized camouflage Lightning jersey.

The name stitched on the back? Humboldt.

No. 16.

It was the brainchild of Lighting fan Dan Gitzler, 41. Gitzler, a former Marine, wanted to honor the 16 victims who lost their lives in the horrific bus accident involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team on April 6. Gitzler bought the jersey on the eve of the playoffs and wore it during Game 1 in Tampa. The plan was to have someone wear the jersey at every Lightning playoff game and collect players’ autographs, with Gitzler sending the framed tribute to the Broncos team.

But after Wednesday’s Game 4 in Newark, Taylor is shipping the jersey to Saskatchewan, where it will be worn during this weekend’s Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship series. It’s Estevan vs. Nipawin, the team the Broncos were on the way to play when a semi-trailer T-boned their bus.

For Taylor, who grew up in hockey-haven Alberta, making the 1,000 mile drive to continue the tribute was the least she could do.Taylor’s son, Joey Lentz, 17, is a defenseman for Freedom High in the Lightning High School Hockey League.

“If I was living in Alberta, it could have been him,” Taylor said. “So it hits hard.”

Gitzler grew up in Tampa, so he’s followed the Lightning since their inaugural season in 1992.

He lost touch with the team for a bit when he spent six years in the Marines straight out of Leto High. The aviation electric technician worked on F/A-18 Hornets all over the U.S., with a one-year stint in Japan.

Dan Gitzler with his wife, Kim. (Courtesy of Dan Gitzler)

But Gitzler picked hockey back up a few years ago and fell in love with the transformed Lightning franchise. His two step children, Tyler, 18, and Keely, 20, are also big fans.

“The players are extremely accessible,” Gitzler said. “You can catch them at the parking lot after games, see them at the airport. I’ve seen Anton Stralman give a present to a fan from his wife. They constantly interact with fans. And (owner) Jeff Vinik is all over the place doing everything he can for us.

“I identify with that.”

After seeing what happened in Humboldt, Gitzler said the idea of the personalized jersey struck him the eve of the Lightning playoff opener; the No. 16 was originally for how many wins it takes to clinch a Stanley Cup, but now it coincidentally matches the number of victims. When Gitzler wore the Humboldt jersey for Game 1, he was struck with how many people commented on it. They gave him high-fives. They asked to take a photo with him.

Gitzler decided then that the jersey would — somehow — be at every Lightning playoff game. It even has its own Twitter account, @humboldtjersey, with more than 100 followers.

Thomas Schooley, 40, founder of the Lightning fan group “ThunderBolts,” was one of many volunteers to help Gitzler out.

Schooley brought the Humboldt jersey to the Tampa jet center after Saturday’s Game 2 to meet the team before its charter flight to Newark. Schooley wanted to get some Lightning players to sign, and he did, including Saskatchewan native Braydon Coburn.

The Lightning defenseman from Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, said the Humboldt tragedy made him “sick,” so seeing this kind of support was touching.

“It’s so cool,” Coburn said. “We have the best fans, don’t we?”

There’s about 10 signatures so far, including Coburn, Brayden Point, Mikhail Sergachev, Cory Conacher, Yanni Gourde. Taylor got a half dozen more after Tuesday’s practice in Newark, including former Lightning center and current Devil Brian Boyle.

Taylor, who does part-time work in New York with Cirque du Soleil, wore the Humboldt jersey at Game 3 and plans to for Game 4, having already witnessed the impression its made, even on Devils fans.

“(On Monday) I was sitting with Lightning fans and they were getting cursed at and things thrown at them — and I got none of that,” Taylor said. “People shook my hand and thanked me. It has got a very positive response everywhere it has gone.”

Bill Chow, the president of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, said it’s been a challenge to get back to normalcy.

The league resumed play on Saturday. The finals are going on, with Nipawin up 2-1 on Estevan heading into tonight’s Game 4.

“There’s still a lot of grieving going on,” Chow told The Athletic Wednesday. “It’s going to take a lot of time. It’s a horrific event. We’re trying to take one step at a time.”

Gitzler reached out Wednesday morning with an idea: Send the Humboldt jersey to Saskatchewan and get players from both teams to sign it. Get a volunteer to wear it during each game, before sending it back to Tampa for the rest of the Lightning playoff games.

Chow gladly took Gitzler up on his offer. Millions have been raised to support the Broncos in the past month. But every little gesture goes a long way.

“This tragedy has resonated with a lot of people around North America and around the world,” Chow said. “So it doesn’t surprise me that someone from Tampa Bay is wanting to do something, for their own reasons and the right reasons. It’s heart-warming and touching.

“We’re happy to do something good instead of all the bad that’s going on.”

Joe Smith is the Lightning beat writer for The Athletic. He spent the previous 11 years at the Tampa Bay Times, where he covered the Lightning since 2014. Also covered the Rays and Bucs from 2008-13. Follow Joe on Twitter @JoeSmithTB.